Work is non-stop in homicide investigation

Widow found shot to death Sunday by neighbors

The home at 4802 S.W. First Avenue where the Marion County Sheriff's Office is investigating the homicide of Carolyn Wagner is shown in the Lemonwood II subdivision in Ocala, Fla. on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013.

Published: Thursday, January 3, 2013 at 12:59 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, January 3, 2013 at 12:59 p.m.

Four days after a 64-year-old widow was found by neighbors shot to death inside her upscale home in southwest Ocala, detectives continue to work non-stop in an effort to solve the slaying.

Capt. Robert Sandlin, acting bureau chief for the Marion County Sheriff's Office Special Investigation Unit, said Thursday that detectives have interviewed close to 100 people, including Carolyn Wagner's son, an aunt, other family members, friends and neighbors, with more interviews scheduled.

Wagner's body was discovered shortly before 11 a.m. Sunday at her home at 4802 SW First Ave., in the Lemonwood II subdivision.

Sally Khan said she was walking her dog when things at her neighbor's home appeared odd, such as a three-day build-up of newspapers in Wagner's driveway and an open garage door.

"It just didn't seem right," Khan said. "That's not her at all."

Khan went inside and found Wagner lying on her side in bed, partially covered by a quilt, in a pool of blood. After Khan's husband, Amin, also came inside, they called 911.

Sandlin said detectives have spent a "tremendous amount of time" processing the crime scene and collecting evidence. He said they will be evaluating the evidence to determine a priority list for further examination and some of it will be sent to a crime laboratory for analysis.

Sandlin declined to specify what types of evidence have been collected, but said that processing DNA and fingerprints is a routine part of any homicide investigation.

Sandlin said investigators are not focusing on any specific person at this time and they have not yet determined any motive.

He said Wagner was last seen alive on Dec. 27. He would not say where she had been shot, or if there had been any forced entry to her home or if anything had been removed from the dwelling. He did say her vehicle had not been taken.

"It's a shame a tragedy of this magnitude had to occur to this family over the holidays. And, on top of that, they had to deal with another family tragedy 14 months ago," Sandlin said.

Wagner's husband, Roger, a 59-year-old real estate appraiser, died in September 2011 after falling 40 feet from a cliff overlooking a site called Christine Falls, a popular tourist spot in Mount Rainier National Park near Seattle.

Roger Wagner was a lover of camping and hiking and was trying to photograph the falls when he fell, in an accident witnessed by the couple's son, John Wagner, 31.

The Kahns said the younger Wagner was an attorney in Philadelphia and was supposed to visit his mother for the holidays. They were not sure if he made it, but said there were people at Wagner's home during Christmas.

The Khans said Carolyn Wagner attended Grace Presbyterian Church in Ocala and devoted herself to activities at the church.

Anyone with information about this case can call Detective Rhonda Stroup at 369-6845 or Crime Stoppers at 368-STOP, or visit Crime Stoppers at www.ocalacrimestoppers.com. Tipsters could be eligible for a $5,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest.

<p>Four days after a 64-year-old widow was found by neighbors shot to death inside her upscale home in southwest Ocala, detectives continue to work non-stop in an effort to solve the slaying.</p><p>Capt. Robert Sandlin, acting bureau chief for the Marion County Sheriff's Office Special Investigation Unit, said Thursday that detectives have interviewed close to 100 people, including Carolyn Wagner's son, an aunt, other family members, friends and neighbors, with more interviews scheduled.</p><p>Wagner's body was discovered shortly before 11 a.m. Sunday at her home at 4802 SW First Ave., in the Lemonwood II subdivision.</p><p>Sally Khan said she was walking her dog when things at her neighbor's home appeared odd, such as a three-day build-up of newspapers in Wagner's driveway and an open garage door.</p><p>"It just didn't seem right," Khan said. "That's not her at all."</p><p>Khan went inside and found Wagner lying on her side in bed, partially covered by a quilt, in a pool of blood. After Khan's husband, Amin, also came inside, they called 911.</p><p>Sandlin said detectives have spent a "tremendous amount of time" processing the crime scene and collecting evidence. He said they will be evaluating the evidence to determine a priority list for further examination and some of it will be sent to a crime laboratory for analysis.</p><p>Sandlin declined to specify what types of evidence have been collected, but said that processing DNA and fingerprints is a routine part of any homicide investigation.</p><p>Sandlin said investigators are not focusing on any specific person at this time and they have not yet determined any motive.</p><p>He said Wagner was last seen alive on Dec. 27. He would not say where she had been shot, or if there had been any forced entry to her home or if anything had been removed from the dwelling. He did say her vehicle had not been taken.</p><p>"It's a shame a tragedy of this magnitude had to occur to this family over the holidays. And, on top of that, they had to deal with another family tragedy 14 months ago," Sandlin said.</p><p>Wagner's husband, Roger, a 59-year-old real estate appraiser, died in September 2011 after falling 40 feet from a cliff overlooking a site called Christine Falls, a popular tourist spot in Mount Rainier National Park near Seattle.</p><p>Roger Wagner was a lover of camping and hiking and was trying to photograph the falls when he fell, in an accident witnessed by the couple's son, John Wagner, 31.</p><p>The Kahns said the younger Wagner was an attorney in Philadelphia and was supposed to visit his mother for the holidays. They were not sure if he made it, but said there were people at Wagner's home during Christmas.</p><p>The Khans said Carolyn Wagner attended Grace Presbyterian Church in Ocala and devoted herself to activities at the church.</p><p>Anyone with information about this case can call Detective Rhonda Stroup at 369-6845 or Crime Stoppers at 368-STOP, or visit Crime Stoppers at www.ocalacrimestoppers.com. Tipsters could be eligible for a $5,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest.</p><p><I>Contact Austin L. Miller at 867-4118 or austin.miller@starbanner.com.</i></p>